Flashback
"No peeking… Open your eyes…" Kelly uncovered Ashley's eyes. Kelly and her were standing in a candy shop. The light coming in lit the entire shop floor. The window frames were painted to resemble red rope candy. Gumdrop decorations were hanging from the ceiling. The tiles were graham crackers, the pink walls were covered in giant sprinkles. She stared in amazement; the shop was like a candy wonderland. Displays of life-sized candy were everywhere. You could tell whoever owned the shop was passionate about it. The candy store was an experience, they wanted kids to recall going there. Kelly handed Ashley a goodie bag and she ran off. Kelly secured the shop prior to taking her there. The chocolate and taffy were melted but the hard candy and some candy with long shelf life were edible. She packed the bag with rock heart candies, rainbow gummies and unicorn lollipops. Kelly watched her be a kid. The moment was sweet but short lived. "Ashley." Kelly's tone said, 'wrap it up'.
Flashback
"30." Gallo read the number painted on the firehouse in front of them. The firehouse was small, suited to the town they were in. A truck was parked in the apparatus bay, truck 30. Kelly and Gallo went through five stages of grief walking into the building. They entered through the apparatus bay side door. Kelly patted the side of the firetruck; Gallo felt a coat hanging out the truck's window. A tear ran down Gallo's face and Kelly rubbed his shoulder. Gallo opened a compartment and Kelly peaked inside. "Chief would have our heads for disorderly trucks." Kelly nodded in agreement. That night they slept in the firetruck. Kelly told stories about Chief, Casey and him. How Casey and him would raise chief's blood pressure.
Flashback
"Can I ask you something?" Gallo asked Kelly. Ashley was asleep. Kelly and Gallo had many late-night talks. Man to man, Kelly liked having someone to confide in. Casey and Kelly's cigar talks felt like decades ago. Ashley was curled up beside Kelly wrapped in a blanket. The storage unit they were held up in had no insulation. Kelly shifted and got comfortable. Gallo tended to get emotional when Ashley was sleeping. Gallo kept a smile on his face for her sake. "Do you think we'll-I'll ever find someone? Romantically I mean? I want marriage, kids, you know the white picket fence."
"My kids would've been born and raised in Chicago. Stella and I actually picked out a house. We would've transitioned from 81 to OFI for a year. Our relationship started off… we made the relationship work… Why'd you stick with 81? I offered you a spot in squad." Kelly changed the subject. "I joined the CFD recently and I was technically capable of being on squad but my mindset… I wasn't ready." Kelly respected that, he was Gallo early into his career. The hotshot partier sleeping with half of Chicago. "I didn't wanna disappoint you and I would've."
Flashback
Ashley threw a knife into an infecteds head. He fell to the ground and Gallo retrieved the knife. Gallo stabbed another infected in the head with her knife. "If you tell my dad I have a new coloring book I'm telling him about your magazines." Gallo shoved Ashley and she playfully motioned to stab him. He returned her knife reluctantly. "I am a grown man, Ashley Kelly isn't confiscating my magazines but your coloring books on the other hand…" She said 'shut up' under her breath. "You referred to Kelly as your dad." Ashley appeared to pale and vigorously shook her head. "My family died in a fire when I was your age. The firehouse who rescued me practically raised me. I've embarrassed myself and referred to a lieutenant as 'dad'. The connections we make to people are thicker than blood and water."
Present
Kelly was swaying in a hammock. He heard chirping and waves. He opened his eyes and saw nothing but white. His eyes adjusted and he could make out the sky. A bird landed on the palm tree in front of him. Flashes of Ashley and Gallo invaded his thoughts. He freaked out and fell out of the hammock. He ran towards the chattering and entered a clearing. Ashley was sitting on the ground eating a coconut. Gallo was talking to her; the right side of his face was deformed. The wreck, everything came back to Kelly. Kelly approached Ashley, Jay approached Kelly, cutting him off. "Remember me buddy?" Kelly wordlessly wrapped Jay in his arms.
Kelly claimed a storm wiped them out. Jay never experienced the bad weather they described. Gallo told a similar story though. Jay found them on the other side of the island. Jay recognized Kelly; he ran to the village with the girl then led Voight and Kevin to Kelly. Over the course of a week Trudy nurtured them to health. Gallo was talkative, he'd heard of Voight, Jay and Kevin through co-workers but never personally met them. Gallo's injuries were extensive and mainly facial. Ashley ate, talked to Gallo and stayed with Kelly. Voight and Gallo had a conversation about that. Gallo assured everyone there's an innocence to their relationship.
A few days later Voight, Jay, Kevin and Kelly gathered to discuss what happens next. Voight put an offer on the table. Kelly's group could either stay there and be like Jay and Kevin, in control of smaller groups who fall under the leadership of Voight or get a ride back to mainland. "Choose us, you'll build your own shelter, scavenge for your own resources but are obligated to share your resources if scarce. Your family would expand, meaning defending our land and assisting when necessary is an obligation." Kelly wiggled his toes in the sand. The sun was setting, and he could hear Makayla and Ashley playing in the distance. "We're in paradise."
3 Weeks After Megan Died
Megan's death put life in perspective for Jay; he returned to the house empty handed. Just him limping down the long driveway. Voight came outside and met him in the driveway. "The sleepless nights, the depression, the anxiety end now. Megan died for some back wood pipeline dream. I want water, I want sand and I want a fruity fucking drink. Florida's supposed to be different right? We could've stayed where we were months ago if you wanted to hide in the woods. Pack up, we leave right now." They loaded up and drove further down South Florida. Making a risky choice Jay stuck to the coast. For the first time Vehicle 2 led the convoy.